Ode to Sunshine [Limited Merlot]

Southern California’s Delta Spirit arrive at their debut with a full head of steam...

Having already earned their reputation with a series of sold out shows with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Cold War Kids, Southern California’s Delta Spirit arrive at their debut with a full head of steam and an album that sounds like they’re eager to capitalize on their momentum.

As such, Ode to Sunshine crackles with flailing guitar lines and bounding piano parts, with creaking vocals and sighing melodies planting them at the confluence of Supergrass’ spunky Brit-pop and Spoon’s garage soul. Echoes of the Kinks can be heard in the hoarse harmonies and barroom piano of “Trashcan,” just as a dark gospel energy pulses through “People C’mon” and shades of Motown turn up in the slinky “Streetwalker.” That said, though they don’t exactly reinvent the musical wheel, they don’t hold slavishly to any particular set of genre rules, either, ending up with an album that offers as many surprises as spot-the-reference moments.

 — American Songwriter